Thistle manager Derek Holmes made two changes from last week’s defeat to Muirkirk, Simpson and Hunter replacing Miller and Brunton but the Jags once again fell behind to an early goal.

Worse was to follow though when they were caught out badly down the problem right defensive side as Dalry broke away, the cross easily finished at the back post to give the home side a two goal lead at the interval.

Half time: Dalry Thistle 2 Larkhall Thistle 0

The second half started with Michael Brunton coming on for Ben Fraser at left back, a switch that looked like it must have been down to an injury.

Larkhall began the second half well with a good spell of pressure, a shot from Brunton brought loud claims for a penalty for handball and his follow up shot was heading into the roof of the net and only stopped by a great save as the Dalry keeper tipped the ball over the bar.

Thistle got the goal that their pressure deserved with 15 minutes left through a simple cross and a header from Breen that went in off the bottom of the post.

In the closing stages of the match both teams went for it and Larkhall keeper Colin McGraw had by far his best game as he made no fewer than five excellent saves to prevent the home side extending their lead.

For the third week in a row Thistle pounded the opposition defence in the closing stages and had a couple of chances to score and claim that elusive first point but again it wasn’t to be.

Full time: Dalry Thistle 2 Larkhall Thistle 1

Scorer: Breen

Larkhall Thistle:
McGowan, Rowan, Fraser, Boyle, McMurray, Dick, 11 Simpson, 8 Forbes 7 O’Hagan (Campbell), 9 Bartosz, Miller 10 Hunter (Breen), 12 Brunton. Subs Miller, Cooper (GK)

Thistle went into today’s game on the back of a 3-2 home defeat to Kello Rovers, which before the game looked like being their best chance of a league win. Muirkirk are third bottom of League 2 and today’s game looked like the last chance of a win of any kind, as it turned out it was another defeat and exit from another cup at the first time of asking.

11 minutes into the game Larkhall found themselves in the familiar position of being a goal down, the defence failed to clear a corner properly and the second ball was finished from close range.

The Jags came into the game and played a bit of football in what turned out to be a decent first half for them. They created a few chances most notably a Miller header that he should have scored with and a move down the right that found Forbes in on goal but his touch was too heavy, allowing the keeper time to get out and block his shot.

Thistle did draw level just before half time though with a wonder strike from Michael Brunton, winning the ball and playing a one-two before unleashing an unstoppable shot that dipped high into the top corner.

Half time: Larkhall Thistle 1 Murkirk 1

The decision to play McGraw in goals ahead of young Cooper surprised most given the way he had struggled and ten minutes into the half his error proved to be the turning point in the game. The keeper came out of his goal to challenge for a high ball and got nowhere near it, instead clattering into the Muirkirk forward and conceding a penalty which was easily converted.

Five minutes later a move down the left wing had the home defence floundering and the cross was easily slotted past McGraw to make it 3-1.

Thistle manager Derek Holmes reacted right away by taking off Miller who had posed no threat in attack and replacing him with Hunter, a move that almost paid off right away as he made a good run and was put in by Forbes only for the keeper to dive at his feet and thwart him.

With time running out, Thistle won a corner on the right and the kick was swept first time into the roof of the net by Ben Fraser who again had a good game for the Jags.

As it was last week, the closing stages were all about Thistle bombarding the visitors goal in search of an equaliser, if they could bring that kind of urgency and will to win to the other 85 minutes they might have a chance of doing something.

Full time: Larkhall Thistle 2 Murkirk 3

Larkhall Thistle:
McGowan, Rowan, Fraser, Boyle, McMurray, Dick (Simpson), Forbes (Campbell), O’Hagan, Bartosz, Miller (Hunter), Brunton. Subs Holmes, Cooper (GK)

With the Jags anchored at the foot of the table and without a point, maybe the last thing they would have wanted was a trip to face former manager Duncan Sinclair and his ex-Thistle players.

The game began with Thistle taking a shock first minute lead but Arthurlie soon took control of the game and were 3-1 up in 15 minutes. The fourth followed quickly from the penalty spot and the home side added a fifth before the interval.

Half time Arthurlie 5 Larkhall Thistle 1

Thistle came out brightly in the second half, approaching the game like it was still 0-0 and they had a right good go at it. Arthurlie however dampened the spirits again with two more goals to round off an emphatic win. The Jags though did keep going and created a couple of good chances that would have made the score more respectable.

Credit is due to the Jags players however for never giving the game up despite the scoreline and nobody epitomised the great positive attitude and willingness to fight more than captain Michael Brunton who put in a fantastic shift and seemed to be everywhere in the middle of the park.

Former Thistle players David Reid who had a great game at left back and Josh Payne who scored a couple of goals showed they will make a valuable contribution to Arthurlie this season.

Full time Arthurlie 7 Larkhall Thistle 1

With Glencairn at the top of the league and Thistle pointless at the bottom, there wasn’t much expectation of a positive result today going into the game.

It all seemed to be going as planned when the visitors took the lead after seven minutes, Smith found himself unmarked at the back post for an easy finish. It looked like a rout was on the cards when Simeon doubled the lead 10 minutes later but the Jags managed to work their way into the game and had a couple of decent passages of play, they even created a chance that Mackiewicz should have put away.

Half time: Larkhall Thistle 0 Rutherglen Glencairn 2

The first fifteen minutes of the second half also remained goalless until Glens stretched their lead, again through Simeon and it was 0-4 a minute later when he completed his hat trick.

Thistle managed to pull a goal back through Mackiewicz before Glencairn added two late goals from Kerr and McKay.

Full time: Larkhall Thistle 1 Rutherglen Glencairn 6

Larkhall Thistle: McGraw; Fraser, Boyle, McMurray, Barclay, Hunter, Brunton, Adams, Mackiewicz, Miller, Simpson. Subs: Cuthbertson, Wells, Breen, Crawford, Alexander.

Rutherglen Glencairn: Whyte; Gebbie, McGregor, Donaldson, Kerr, Fraser, Leyden, Esplin, Smith, Simeon, McKay. Subs – Mitchell, Gormley, Quinn, McGuire, McLellan.

Today’s game was a friendly arranged due to Girvan having cup commitments. St Anthony’s were the bottom placed team in the West and Central Leagues so players and supporters alike were looking for a positive result.

The first half finished without a goal and without Larkhall having created a chance of note. The Ants whilst not exactly dominating the game did create several chances and could have taken the lead on a couple of occasions.

Half time: Larkhall Thistle 0 St Anthony’s 0

The visitors had the ball in the net early in the second half but the striker had made his run too early and was rightly ruled offside but Thistle were creating a couple of decent chances and were on top in the early part of the half.

Larkhall made a couple of substitutions on the hour mark but the Ants took the lead with 15 minutes left through a scrambled goal from a corner.

Six minutes later it was 2-0 from the penalty spot after the referee had awarded the spot kick for handball, sub keeper Ryan Cooper’s first touch of the ball was to pick it out of the net.

Again it was late goals that cost Thistle the game, pointing to a lack of fitness or concentration over the full 90 minutes or both. Again also the passing was well short of what is required and has to be improved.

Full time: Larkhall Thistle 0 St Anthony’s 2

St Roch’s pulled in a good crowd for the anticipated hammering of traditional rivals Thistle, boosted by around 10 travelling supporters.

Thistle suffered an early blow when David Breen limped off with a hamstring injury but took a shock lead in the 17th minute, Mark Cuthbertson nicking in front of the defence to finish from close range.

The excitement was short lived however as the home side replied with three quick goals in five minutes and another shortly after.

A further goal before half time from a break down the right resulting in a low cross and easy finish summed up the extent of the Jags defensive frailties.

Half time St Roch’s 5 Larkhall Thistle 1

As they had in the first half, Thistle scored the first goal in the second period after a howler from the home keeper left Bartosz with an empty goal. The home team looked flustered for the first time although the chances of a comeback were slim to say the least but it took until the final quarter of the game for them to add to their lead with a scooped shot.

What followed later was an unfair reflection of the play, St Roch’s were better on the day but the margin was more than the young Jags team deserved to lose by. A daft challenge gave the referee no option but to award a penalty for 7-2 but the next goal was farcical, the wide right St Roch’s player being without exaggeration 10 yards offside before cutting the ball back.

The last goal was a more modest 2 yards offside but still blatant and though the home fans were desperate for another, they couldn’t manage double figures.

Positives for Thistle were thin on the ground but scoring first in both halves and getting two goals for the first time showed there is maybe something there to work with. Speed of thought and quickness on the ball need to improve drastically if the boys are going to make the step up to junior players as well as retaining the ball and not giving it away when not under any pressure.

Full time St Roch’s 9 Larkhall Thistle 2

Larkhall Thistle:
McGraw; R Adams, D Adams,

Holmes, Beattie, Hazizi (Park 70),

Brunton, Simpson, Bartosz,

Breen not shown (Paterson 10), Cuthbertson.

Subs not shown: Airth, Munn, Cooper

Thistle began their league campaign against Irvine Victoria, a team who found themselves in the same situation of having no players, manager or money going forward into the new season.

The first half showed a marked improvement in the young Jags team as they saw out the half on level terms with the sides creating a couple of chances each.

Half time: Larkhall Thistle 0 Irvine Victoria 0

The second half started with Vics doing most of the pressing and they got the breakthrough when the ball broke from a corner and was steered in for the opener. However the game turned on a couple of wild tackles from Ross Adams in a five minute spell resulting in Thistle being reduced to ten men.

Having just about held their own and stayed in the game at 11 v 11, the extra man proved too much and the Jags collapsed with Irvine tearing the defence apart almost at will. Vics scored again straight after the sending off with a free kick that took a horrible bobble when the keeper looked to have it covered but three more goals in a five minute spell tied it up. Thistle pulled one back from the penalty spot but lost the six almost straight from the restart.

With Irvine Victoria as one of the teams potentially competing at the foot of the table for survival, this is a benchmark of the improvement that will be needed to stay in the league.

Full time: Larkhall Thistle 1 Irvine Victoria 6

Larkhall Thistle:
Cooper; Gibb, Kidd, Holmes, J. Adams, R. Adams, Riddoch, Broaton, Bartloz, M. Cuthbertson, Torrance
Subs: Munn, Airth, S. Cuthbertson, Campbell, McMurray

Scorer: Bartloz

Thistle’s first competitive game under the new management provided a look at what might be expected in the coming season and the early signs are it’s going to be an uphill struggle. Glencairn were four up inside 18 minutes and the signs were that it was only going to get worse but to their credit the young Thistle team steadied the ship and saw out the rest of the half on more or less even terms, albeit with the keeper pulling off a couple of very good saves.

Half time: Rutherglen Glencairn 4 Larkhall Thistle 0

Two early second half goals for Glencairn took any sting out what was left of Thistle’s recovery ambitions and for the rest of the game it was damage limitation, three further goals could have been more but for more excellent work from the keeper.

Fair to say that the project still needs a bit of work.

Full time: Rutherglen Glencairn 9 Larkhall Thistle 0

Thistle’s last game of the season was also the last game for the management team of Dunky Sinclair, Tam McLaughlin and Jamie Sandilands. In marked contrast to last season’s epic encounter with St Roch’s there was nothing to play for today for the Jags although Troon were still chasing a promotion place via the playoffs.

Thistle got off to a good start attacking the old club end and nearly took the lead after just five minutes, Gary McStay rolled the ball from a corner to Billy Robb and his first-time shot brought out a great save from the Troon keeper. Mark Canning had featured prominently in the opening stages and sent a good effort wide of the post three minutes later.

It looked like the old stagers of Canning, McKeever and Gary McStay might have a final fling, they were all playing well but after 16 minutes it all turned sour as Troon took the lead with their first real attacking move of the game. Good play down the right then a ball into the box that the No.10 slid in unchallenged to meet and send high into the net.

Three more quickfire goals before the break put the game beyond doubt. Declan Doyle was outmanouevered on the left and the cross left an easy tap in from two yards for the second. The third came from the same position but the Troon No.11 in fairness did brillianly to twist and turn and get his cross in that left a free header right in front of goal.

The fourth came down the right, again a shot in that Johnny Duncan could only block and the follow up was slammed into the roof of the net.

Half time: Larkhall Thistle 0 Troon 4

Dunky made his final throw of the dice as manager with a triple half time substitution; Johnny McStay, Ryan Innes and Josh Payne for McKeever, Robb and Doyle but any thoughts that Thistle could get back into the game disappeared as early as the second minute of the half when Troon got their fifth from an unchallenged shot inside the box.

The only time Thistle threatened the visitors goal came 10 minutes into the second half, Gary McStay did well down the right wing, beating the left back and getting a cross in to Johnny McStay who hit a good volley just past the post.

Troon made it 6-0 with 20 minutes still left to go and thoughts of double figures must have crossed minds of players and supporters of both sides. As it was they settled for just one more three minutes from time to complete what was the most embarrassing result in many people’s memory.

Good luck to Sinky, Tam and Jamie and thanks for all your efforts, nobody will forget the double header with St Roch’s last season. Good luck also to those players who played their last games today and again thanks for all the good work.

Full time: Larkhall Thistle 0 Troon 7

Larkhall Thistle:
Duncan; Doyle (Payne 45), Brown, Mushett, Reynolds; McKeever, Canning (Innes 45), Jack, Robb (J McStay 45), Reid; G McStay. Subs: Clarke, Kelly

Scorers:

Booked: Robb

Thistle made their first visit to the new Rossvale park at Huntershill Village Hub, a council run facility where health and safety is the top priority. For some bizarre reason supporters are confined to one half of one side of the park but in fairness to the council everybody went home safely.

With only 11 fit first team players the Jags were up against it from the start but Matty Clarke had a chance to put them up after just four minutes when he was sent clear by David Reid but he wanted too much time and his shot across the keeper was saved.

Rossvale came back right away with a move down the left, the cross was met in the middle but the finish was blazed high over the bar. Jags keeper Stewart Thomson went down off the ball and it was obvious right away he was going to have to go off and be replaced by Johnny Duncan.

Rossvale settled down quickly and had the upper hand for the rest of the game as Thistle limped out tamely from the last competition of the season in what is probably the final season for the Central League Cup.

Rossvale had a couple of decent efforts before the first goal came for them after 28 minutes but it came from a corner for Thistle that was cleared over the top, leaving Niall Reynolds with no chance of catching the flying winger who crossed for the striker to take a touch and settle himself before slotting in.

Larkhall hit back right away, Gary McStay setting Graham Gracie up for a good shot that might have brought an equalser but was straight at the keeper. Reynolds kept Thistle in the game with a goal-line clearance a minute later but the reprieve was not to last for long. The Rossvale captain and best player easily stepped past Clarke before taking the ball on and hitting a shot that Duncan might have expected to do better with albeit it might have taken a bit of a deflection.

Even at half time it looked obvious that the game was done and there was going to be no way back.

Half time: Rossvale 2 Larkhall Thistle 0

After a quiet opening 15 minutes Thistle might have given themselves a chance with what turned out to be their last real attempt of the game. Gracie took a quick throw on the right to McStay who rolled the ball inside to Jack, he played it out to the left to Reid and his shot brought out a good save down low.

Things went from bad to worse as Gary McStay was booked then shown a second yellow for backchat, poor stuff when the backs were against the wall on a hot day and Gracie did his best to join him with a senseless barge into a Rossvale player’s back that he was lucky just to be booked for.

It was the end of any resistance from Thistle with the only question now was how many. The answer was another two that were both shambolic from a defensive point of view, the fourth coming five minutes from time when Thistle were down to nine men after Josh Payne had also been sent off.

A real low today after last week’s great effort at Irvine, hopefully the final three games will give the team a chance to get a few more league points on the board.

Finally congratulations to our neighbours Royal Albert who were confirmed as the Second Division champions today.

Full time: Rossvale 4 Larkhall Thistle 0

Larkhall Thistle:
Thonson (Duncan 11); Doyle (Cuthbertson 57), Brown, Reynolds; Kelly; Payne, Clarke, Jack, Reid; Gracie, G McStay

Sent off: G McStay, Payne